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Foreign Minister Steinmeier following the Foreign Ministers meeting on the situation in Libya

Foreign Minister Steinmeier following the Foreign Ministers meeting on the situation in Libya

13.02.2016 - Press release

Foreign Minister Steinmeier issued the following statement after the Foreign Ministers meeting on the situation in Libya on 13 February:

Libya is rarely the focus of media attention here – unjustly, in my view. What is happening on the other side of the Mediterranean just a few hundred kilometres south of Italy cannot be a matter of indifference to us in Germany and Europe. It cannot be a matter of indifference to us if unscrupulous human trafficking rings are left to go about their criminal business in the midst of chaos and civil war. And it certainly cannot be a matter of indifference to us if the ISIS terrorist militias gain a firm foothold on Europe’s fringes.

All of us here agreed that implementing the peace agreement and quickly forming a government of national unity will be decisive for stabilising Libya and thus also for the fight against ISIS.

UN Special Representative Martin Kobler reported to us on the latest state of affairs. There has been some progress in the two months since the peace agreement was signed. The parliament has approved the peace agreement in principle.

We very much hope that the Presidential Council will be able to submit a new cabinet list for the government of national unity for parliament’s approval soon.

It is good that we have been able to discuss this with President of parliament Agila today, and to make the international community’s expectations clear once again.

Our message is this: the time for manoeuvrings is over! This is the time to show responsibility for Libya. Because Libya cannot wait any longer to finally tackle the pressing problems of ISIS terrorism and violence.

All sides must help ensure that the government of national unity can take up work as soon as possible and embark on the difficult job of restoring state order in Libya, driving out the ISIS terrorists and enabling the people once again to live in peace and stability.

Germany, Europe and the international community are prepared to offer every possible assistance to support the Libyan government of national unity in these endeavours. This includes the development of state structures and the training of security forces.